AMHERST, Mass. - The
University of Richmond Spiders baseball team dropped a hard-fought, 3-1 game at
Massachusetts on Friday afternoon. With
the setback, the Spiders fall to 21-21 on the season overall and to 8-8 in
Atlantic 10 conference play. With the
win, the Minutemen improve to 18-16 on the year and to 10-6 in league action.

Sophomore Adam Forrer had
a solo home run to lead the Spider
offense on Friday, while redshirt junior Adam McConnell
had three of Richmond's
11 hits, going 3-for-4 with a stolen base.
Senior Phil Ruzbarsky
and redshirt junior Matt Zink each
had a pair of
hits on the afternoon.

In just his third start of the season, sophomore Andrew Brockett
pitched well despite taking the loss, going 4.1 innings. Brockett allowed two runs, just one
earned,
while striking out five. Out of the
bullpen, senior Alex Maffett
pitched 3.1 innings, allowing just one run on two
hits.

The Spiders had chances to score in both the second and
fifth innings, but were unable to get on the board. In the second, two walks and a hit-by-
pitch
loaded the bases, but Richmond followed with a foul out and a groundout to end
the frame.

After Massachusetts scored one in the bottom of the fourth,
Richmond had another chance one inning later.
In the top of the fifth, three-straight one-out singles loaded the bases
once again for the Spiders. Richmond was
unable to get on the board, however, as a pop out and a fielder's choice kept
the score 1-0 in favor of UMass.

Trailing 2-0 after UMass scored an unearned run in the
bottom of the fifth, Forrer led off the top of the sixth for the Spiders with a
bang. On a 1-1 pitch, the sophomore
blasted his fourth home run of the season over the fence in right field,
cutting the Minutemen lead in half, 2-1.

Richmond nearly tied the game in the next frame, but was cut
down on a close call at home plate. With
one out, runners were on first and second for senior Bryan
Conway. On a 1-2 offering, Conway singled through the
left side of the infield. Classmate
Chris Cowell tried to score from second on
the play, but was called out on a tight
play at the plate, keeping the Minutemen lead at 2-1.

UMass was able to add a run to its lead in the bottom of the
eighth, making the Richmond deficit, 3-1, headed to the ninth. In the Spider half of the
ninth, Richmond was
unable to mount a late rally, falling to Massachusetts, 3-1.

The Richmond Spiders baseball team will continue its
three-game series with the Massachusetts Minutemen on Saturday in Amherst. First pitch is
scheduled for 1 p.m.